Notes / Commercial Description:
In this year’s edition we took our inspiration from two Belgian styles: Saisons and Golden Triples. As such, the Stone 07.07.07 Vertical Epic has a deep, deep golden hue and the flavor is spicy, fruity, complex and refreshing. We used four different malts, and a subtle, yet distinct, blend of Glacier and Crystal hops to get just the right balance. Then, for the complexity, we added in some exotic spices --- including ginger, cardamom, grapefruit peel, lemon peel and orange peel (the latter three acknowledging our Southern California home) --- and a special Belgian yeast strain. All in all this is yet another case of us drawing from classic Belgian influences and cavalierly making it our own...San Diego style!

Opened on 7/7/07;
I don't usually open an epic till New Years eve but hey its Chistmas in July.

Thisone to me had Triple all over it. It poured a deep gold, almost copper like. The head was egg-wash white that was about an inch but maintained well. Carbonation was active, nice and busy. not much on the lace side of things.

The aroma pops at bottles open and that carbonation just treats the nose with the taste hints.

The taste is complex, very well done. Malts, hops that are well accented by citric grapefruits, lime and orange peel. Spice of ginger and pepper. I picked up hints of biscuit and more of sour dough. A mild hint of alcohol for toppers.

The mouthfeel is smooth, well aired. It dose leave a dry, wanting more feel. After awhile, it leaves a "dang, im thirsty feel".

Drinkability is very smooth and easy, for a complex brew.
For july, this went very well. And im sure it will bring in the new year great as well.

Smells of green apple, lemon, some musty/earthy barn notes, a touch of vanilla.

Starts with some caramel and orange blossom honey and then works is way into brighter honeydew, lemon pulp and orange rind estery flavors. Finishes with spicy hops, earthy yeast flavor and some heat from the alcohol. Assertive bitterness.

Slight syrupy mouthfeel with some carbonation bite that cleanses the palate. Overall an excellent brew that should age gracefully.

Poured from a 22oz bomber into my New Belgium globe glass. Reviewed on 7/7/07.

A: Pours a deep golden amber color. Not a lot of head and it recedes quickly.

S: Lots of great smells; fruit, spices, and yeast.

T: This thing is like a tripel on steroids. Lots of fruit up front in the form of grapefruit, orange, and apricot. The spices are up next; lots of citrus peel and more prominent spices. All of the tripel flavors that you would typically find but in typical Stone style, they are more amplified. Very flavorful and complex yet at the same time it's still refreshing.

M: Full bodied, a bit thick, light carbonation.

D: I enjoyed the hell out of this beer. I've got another bottle that I'm going to age until 12/12/12 and I'm very interested to see how this thing will change with time. I sure did like it fresh. It's very flavorful and delicious. Another excellent brew from Stone.

So guess what, it is July 7th 2007 and I have in my hand my first bottle of Stone's Vertical Epic 07.07.07! Hell yeah, this was the first year I was actually able to obtain one, to be able to drink it, by the release date(and by the skin of my teeth, it just arrived today!) Really siked for this as I had been waiting anxiously hopingit would arrive in time. Botle is the sameas theo thers in the series, Ale brewed with spices, and the 07's circling, been awaiting so I shall dive in.

Poured a very cloudy and haze golden amber. Not your pale golden amber, but a nice full, orange tint to it. Great streaming bubbles of carbonation were rippling to the surface through chains from the bottom. A nice one inch head formed immediatly upon the pour, hung around for about a minute then faded and receded back to just a film on top concentrated on the sides of the glass. Some residual lace on the glass was visible during the session.

The smell was highly spiced. Very light, but rich and complex aroma came over you as you took the first smell. Dark fruits, plums, figs, maybe some pear or apple could be detected in the backround trying to make their case known. A definate hoppines was also very much there. A slight citrus twist trying t creep up through the rest of the fruits. Upon warming one could also pick out a fresh cut grass, or earthiness to it as well. Very nice aroma, not as heavy as some of the past years.

Now for the dive in...First impression of the taste, was light, crisp and refreshing with a definate hoppy quality to it. If I did not know better I could almost see this as a belgian IPA. Lots of fruit flavors were readily apparent, bigtime pear flavor as well as some plum could be detected. I also picked up some apple in there. Lots of spices, nutmeg, a banana maybe too... The more you think about it the more you will find, the mark of a finely crafted brew. But the hop was still there, and a nice american citric hop it was, a touch of grapefruit is really what is being picked up here. Nice dry finish, slightly bitter, but more spicey and fruity. Great feel on this. Very light, not slick or oily at all, not watered down, every sip was full of flavor and never dull. Great carbonation helped the flavor simply wash over your tongue and gave it that alive feeling. Well done.

Overall this was sensational. Not apparent feel for the alcohol, very well hidden, made this one extremely drinkable. Not as heavy sitting as the others. This was by far my favorite of the series that I have tried thus far. I am not sure how it will hold up for five more years, but this is definatly damn good now. I would have to say to try it now, and put a couple away if you can. But I dont know how it would improve, just a fine quality beer here.

Served in a snifter, the beer pours an amber/orange color with a half inch white head. The aroma is sweet and spicy (mostly spicy). It smells like pepper, cloves, coriander, ginger, yeast, apricots and citrus fruit peel. The taste starts off very spicy, mostly cloves and pepper. Then a sharp fruity/hoppy/spicy bittersweet taste kicks in and it leaves a long-lasting aftertaste. It tastes pretty much the same way it smells. Mouthfeel is medium with a good amount of zippy carbonation which doesn't hurt the beer at all. Drinkability is good, but I think aging the beer would help mellow it out some. Still, I think this is a good brew.

Nice copper color, but a lot head out of the bottle and low retention (alas). Not quite what I've come to expect from the VEs, appearance-wise...

Nice caramelized malt jumping up in the nose and a good dose of noble hops. Metallic? I like it.

Drinking it finally... and I'm quite impressed. Billed as a BSPA, but it really shares a lot of qualities with a crisp, PNW amber ale. It's like you took a typical PNW amber ale and Duvelized it. Or it's like someone turned up the volume on a De Koninck (which, while not something I'd envisioned, it turns out that it works really well). Really a thoroughly enjoyable beer right now, and not something that's really been done before, IMO...

Taste: spicy Belgian yeast, and tons of spices. I'd guess at coriander, clove, nutmeg, maybe a little cinnamon. Spices overwhelm everything else, including the Belgian esters and phenolics, which are basically the only other thing I get out of this. Just enough hop body to carry it through, and little else.

Mouth: sweet and medium thick, limited alcohol burn, certainly the 8.4% listed on the bottle is not evident.

Eh. Like many of Stone's beers, I really think this one is really quite overrated, due to beer geeks' (which I consider myself one) almost culti-like devotion to all things Stone. It's good, drinkable beer, but is it all that? No. Do I expect it to improve? Yes. Do I expect it to improve to the point of being all that? No.

Basically, it's a standard, overspiced, underwhelming Belgian strong ale, and not really distinguishable from hundreds of beers available in any decent supermarket in Belgium, or dozens available in any BevMo for that matter.

Deep gold appearance, thin white foam holds steadily. Medium carbonation throughout. Cinnamon and a multitude of other peppery spices cloud the aroma. There is also some fruity sweetness, not bad overall.

The flavor is dominated by the spiciness also. There is some fruity apple tang in the mix, and the finish has a slight acidity or something that irritates the throat a bit. Decent, but not too impressive. The mouthfeel is nice, medium thick, smooth with silky carbonation.

The spices/additives were too much for this beer. They stand out too much rather then fit where they should. I realize Stone likes to go "big" on their beers, but just because it works with hops doesn't mean it does with spices. A little goes a long way. For now I feel like this should be more of a holiday/xmas ale. Hopefully it ages well...

This beer poured a light tan/light orange/yellow body with a small soap bubbled type head.

Nose is a cornucopia of smells. Tropical fruits, lots of sugary belgian yeast, candied fruit, pepper, ginger and lime peel. Strong alcohol whiffs and it really starts to have a strong saison mixed with tropical spice and fruit character as it warms. Very nice.

Fruit juice and alcohol. Very reminiscent of a tropical mixed drink like a margarita or daiquiri. Taste is medium to full bodied with a course grain mouth-feel from the start fading into a sharp numbing bitterness in the finish. Loads of fresh cut malt and grain, but the taste is dominated by citrus. Lemons, lime, grapefruit juice, citrus peel, tons of ginger, passion-fruit, mangos, bananas, kaffir lime and a nice spice mixture ending with a big kick of belgian yeast. A very strong bitterness but not a huge hop taste presence. Alcohol is really strong in this beer and really shines through with warmth as well as a kick in the butt after a few sips.

Not quite a saison and not quite a triple, but 150% of each mixed equally. Really very nice right now and I'm having a hard time picturing it aged 5 years, although the alcohol and strong course bitterness should mellow nicely. It should be interesting to see if it retains it's big fruit flavors. I like this one a lot, it's everything I wanted in 040404. Bring on 08.

I bought this expecting hops, not remembering that all the other vertical epics were Belgian based. My grave mistake.

Anyone who knows me well knows I'm rarely a fan of American Belgians. And stating that, this one does nothing to change that perception.

Color is dark for a pale, closest I can think of in the color palate of Belgians would be Bush (Scaldis), which technically is a Belgian barley wine not a pale with much more malt than your typical Belgian. Aroma on this one has Belgian yeast characterists, but they're not strong. Mostly fruits coming through, with some alcohol. Flavor again is muted with similar effect as aroma, body is almost watery like a German hefeweizen. Alcohol comes in much stronger than the stated 8.4%. I frankly can't believe it's not pushing 10% based on flavor. While yes, many American brews between 8-9% have this much alcohol presence, I can't think of one Belgian that even comes close. The beer label claims it's bottle conditioned, yet no yeast was left in the bottle or apparent in the pour.

Beautiful copper golden clear body with good carbonation. Slightly off-white head of mostly small bubbles. Low retention and lace.
Sweet bread and marcipan smell. Floral notes swirl on top of an alcoholic whiff with spice.
Taste is alcohol, spice, molasses and malts well balanced with velvety hops. Aftertaste of Lingering malts with some nutskin hops and faint alcoholic flavor.
Medium to full body, some coating and a dry finish. Abit of residual sugars.
Good drinkability.
Though this is a good brew it did not live up to Stone standards. Maybe this one needs to age abit.

Pours a cloudy orange with a fizzy white froth that fades fairly quickly to a thin layer of head and a collar. Appears highly carbonated.

Smell is familiar yet unique - paradoxical? Yes. Inviting? Yes. Notes of citrus and orange peel dance on top of the Belgian-style yeast to create a sweet, zesty aroma.

Carbonation dances on my tongue with the first sip. Chewy malts dominate. What a unique flavor - truly mission accomplished with respect to Stone's goal of fusing a trippel and a saison, although I taste more trippel-like character than saison. With each sip the orange and lemon notes become more pronounced - perhaps even too much so. Perhaps could use a bit more body towards the end of the taste - initially mouthfeel is nice and thick but towards the swallow the malty flavor fades too quickly, giving way to a citrusy aftertaste that isn't altogether enjoyable.

This is a worthy effort by Stone to branch out from the bread and butter hopbombs. I still prefer what they normally do, but this is an offering that is worth checking out, if for no other reason because it is remarkably unique.

Another Stone anual that will surely improve with age. The beer opens with a burst of carbonation, loosely knit heat retention and a bright straw color. Aromas of sweet pilner malts and heavy grains swirl with fruits of pears, peaches, appricots, and apples. All with a swift kick of alcohols. Tastes as fruity and sweet as the aromas suggest with a sharp peppery, tart, earthy / musty flavor, adding complexity and variety. Feels moderately heavy and slightly oily despite an evaporative dryness late. Alcohols and tartness linger into the aftertaste, while remaining sweet and dry. Age will surely be kind to this brew, but a bit fusal and green at this point.

S- Typical Belgian aroma; cloves are predominant; it's not sweet and is kind of saison-like; some good citrusy aromas show themselves as the beer warms (orange and lime).

T- Cloves to start, than a whole lot of herbal hops; the hops mingle with some malt sweetness and the beer finishes dry a with a touch of bitterness; some alcohol is also present. The flavors don't really mesh here. It really needs more malt flavor.

M- Decent medium body with a nice carbonation level.

D- Not bad, although the alcohol is a little high. I'll stick to one bomber.

Certainly not my favorite from Stone. The flavor's just not doing it for me. However, I suppose the beer was designed to age for a few years, so here's hoping that will improve it. As it stands it's just ok, but hopefully a few years in the cellar will smooth things out.

Dark, orangish brown with a small head which retain very well. Smells creamy, sweet fruits, banana, slight alcohol odor. The taste is sweet, spicy and a bit peppery. The mouthfeel is a bit thick, well carbonated and leaves a sweet coating on the inside of the mouth. This is very well balanced and easy to sip on but a bit of an overload to the senses if overconsumed.

Poured into my snifter. This beer is a slightly cloudy medium golden/deep orange/copper color. Very nice color. The head is about an inch thick when poured. It settles to a quite thin surface layer about 10 minutes after pouring. Nice white ring lining the inside of the glass though. Good lacing. Aroma wise sweet spice galore and malt are certainly present as well as some banana. Sort of a fruity and floral aroma too. Very malty and sweet upfront tastewise. Spices such as clove and ginger are present among others. The taste is rounded out by some fruit and hop notes. Orange and lemon are certainly present along with a hint of banana. This beer has a dry, spicy and biting aftertaste. Has a very crisp, bubbly mouthfeel with a full body and moderate to heavy carbonation. easy to drink in the manner that great beer should be. It took me well over an hour an half to finish a bomber of this stuff. Overall this beer is certainly different from any other Belgian style Strong Pale Ale I have ever had before. A lot about this beer reminded me of Stone's Barley Wine, which I like a lot. Another winner from Stone!

Poured from a 22oz. bomber into a St. Feuillien goblet, the 07.07.07 is a clear orangish bronze with a 1 finger eggshell head that quickly subsides to a thick collar and skim, leaving scattered lace. Not pale, and an uninspiring head, this reminds me of all the failed, malty US takes on the style. However, I hesitate to dock it much on the color, as the label cites it's a mix of tripel and saison (my two favorite styles BTW), which I afford a wider range of color.

The nose is strong, yeasty, spicy and sugary sweet. I might have guessed I was picking up on coriander, but it's not listed on the label with the other spices, although the phrasing of 'including' hints that it may not be an inclusive list. If it is, maybe it's the cardamom, or just the Belgian yeast. I also found the ginger really reveals itself as it warms. Inviting and complex, I'm impressed.

The taste is a bit thick but nice. Lots of Belgian yeast spiciness, clean candi sugar, and a noticeable bit of alcohol. Also, there's a nice punch of the citrus mentioned on the label, grapefruit, lemon and orange peel, although I couldn't detect it on the nose, but enjoy it's presence here.
I've had a few mediocre US made BSPAs lately, and it's nice to have a decent one again. However, I question just how well this would hold up over the next 5 1/2 years. I don't generally think BSPAs are made for the long haul, and I assume that the citrus I really enjoy here will quickly fade. Also, I found it odd that there was no yeast on the bottom of the empty bottle, and both pours were clear. Still, this is good enough that I'll get a few more, to enjoy on the short term as well cellar. I'm guessing this will peak between 6-12 months...

The mouthfeel is maybe a tad heavy, but there's enough effervescence to keep it from getting syrupy.

This was quite drinkable, because it was really pretty tasty. While it didn't blow me away with the first sip, I was really loving it by then end. A little less heat and more digestibility would make this a 5, possibly for the taste as well. But I really enjoy the SoCal twist on the style, appreciate the dominance of the yeast, and the depth, yet subtleness of the spices.

Golden and slight hazed body topped by a puffed up head. Nice billowing and some chunks formed in the center. Calmed down to a mild head...a bit slick looking.
Smell is a bit weak. Belgian yeast, corriander, some biscuit. Not very strong, but not bad.
Taste has hints of the Belgian yeast characteristics, slight spice and little buttery. Feels like a carbonated wit beer, I don't like it. Too tingly for me. Drinks fairly well. I'll get some more a plunk 'em down in storage.

22oz bottle purchased for 5.99 at Cedar Hills New Seasons. I got one bottle to drink now, and one to lay down for 5 and a half years.

Pours golden amber with a mediocre white head that dissipates quickly. The aroma is yeasty and sweet. I can't pick up the citrus, but there are some spices working together to form a smell that doesn't really have me excited. The taste is a bit better, but there is something I'm not liking here. I'm not really getting the ginger or citrus. Mostly coriander, sweet malts, and hot alcohol. I'll do a more in-depth review when I drink this on it's intended date. I'm assuming it will be much better.

Setting/Pairing: I got a call from a buddy while I was in Vegas letting me know that the 07 Vertical Epic had hit the shelves in Denver and last night I had a chance to visit my shop and snag a few. I poured it into my Riedel snifter and enjoyed the first half on the patio with nothing but a cool breeze and the second half on the couch with my wife watching a movie.

Appearance: This is presented in the classic Stone bottle and print. It pours a cloudy orange/bronze hue with a creamy 2 finger head and moderate retention and lacing.

Smell: Big Belgian yeast, spices, Fruit and lots of it - apricot, peach and citrus. Sweet bubblegum and grapefruit are here as well.

Taste: Very complex, mild citrus hops hit the tongue first and then some spices - dates and figs, fruit and funky Belgian yeast. Tons of malt characteristics, you can tell they used several different varieties here. The minty Belgian flavor is there but it fades a bit to the background as the beer warms, wonderful sweet flavors on the finish.

Mouthfeel: Very round and smooth, nice big body.

Drinkability: I had no problem hammering this bomber in a sitting. It is bottle conditioned so it has only light carbonation but it has so many flavors that the alcohol fades into the distance and is soon forgotten.

Final Comments: I will try to keep the fact that I am a Stone whore out of equation and just say that this is a good beer with wonderful potential. It is distinct in its Belgian characteristics so if these are things you do not enjoy you may not care for this beer. I was highly anticipating its release and I was not disappointed. I plan to enjoy many more as it is a perfect beer to share with friends on a summer evening. My advice is to buy 3 or 4, enjoy a couple over the summer and lay at least one down until 2012 for the vertical tasting. Enjoy!

Well this beer is as the label describes, golden. The head was a short oil slick on the surface. It smells kind of fruity, and kind of like a piece of bubblegum. This is a very good aroma. The taste has some spicy qualities but does not quite deliver on the aroma. The carbonation is a little prickly to the mouth and made the beer hard to down. It took me about two hours to finish the bottle. I will probably buy a couple more bottles for aging in the hopes that this improves. This wasn't a bad beer but the carbonation just made me feel bloated as I drank it.

04/21/08

Nine months has done this beer nicely. Apples, grapes abound in both the flavor and aroma. Sticky, sweet, not quite tart. Very interesting and complex taste. This is aging well (so far).